Innocence of a Child
by Calathiel of Mirkwood
Summary: Little Willie has a story to tell, one that has to do with his mother and an ugly chest...
1. Chests and Stories

Disclaimer: Alas, tis not mine. If it was, I wouldn't be sitting at my computer wishing I did.

Innocence of a Child

**Chapter 1: Chests and Stories**

Innocence of a child…I'm not sure what it means but Mum said it just the other day. You see, my name is William Turner III.

My Father is away at sea. Mum hasn't told me what for…but she says someday I can know. Don't tell anyone, but I think he's a pirate.

I asked her once what he did and she only said that he helped people and couldn't come back until I was almost ten years old.

I'm not quite five now and that seems an awfully long time to wait. Mum thinks it will be over before I know it.

I don't think that's true because two days ago I heard Mum in the middle of night. I was thirsty and was going to the well for a mug of water when I heard her.

She was crying.

I didn't mean to hear but since I did I peeked in her room. She was holding her pillows real tight and her face was all red and blotchy.

She didn't see me and I kept very silent-like.

I continued to watch her and she moved a little. And I saw something underneath the pillows. It was a chest. An ugly one at that. But she was holding it against her stomach like she does to me when I've scraped my knee.

She looked so sad and hurting that I forgot that my throat was itchy and ran into her.

At first, I think she was scared 'cause I was so quiet. She moved her pillows real quick and I couldn't see the ugly chest anymore.

I didn't care too much. It wasn't that nice of a chest anyway.

I asked her what made her cry and gave a nice pat on the shoulder. Bettie, the cook, says that it makes people feel better to be petted. I don't know why 'cause I don't like it one bit. But Mum seemed to like it.

She told me that her heart hurt and that she missed Will. That's my Father's name, William Edward Turner II.

I understood both. And I told her so. For one, she was holding that chest so tight against her and that didn't look very soft or plushy.

I told her that, too.

She jerked and her eyes went all wide-like. From the cold I believe. So, I went over to a trunk, pulled out a blanket, and tucked her in like she did to me every night.

I asked her if she wanted a story, too, and she said yes. I told her my favorite about the Blacksmith Pirate and the Governor's Daughter. She laughed at all the right parts and at some parts, I didn't understand this but I guess I'm just a good storyteller, she looked like she was gonna cry again.

When I finished my throat hurt super bad and so I said that she needed to go to bed, like she always tells me. Then I walked to the door and said goodnight.

She laughed again and said, "ah, the innocence of children" and then she told me she loved me and Father loved me and would come back as soon as he could.

I said that I loved her, closed the door, and went to get my drink.

I had to get an awful big drink since my throat was all rough but when I went back to bed Mum wasn't crying anymore.

And that is a success, I think.

TBC...


	2. Black Sails and Whelps

First off, I'd like to say that originally this was a one-shot but Genevieve05 put the idea of continuing into my head. So, here goes the next chapter!

Thanks so much to Ditte3, Genevieve05, and Telcontar Rulz for reviewing! You guys made my day!

**Chapter 2: Black Sails and Whelps**

Yesterday was a horror.

Mum says that sometimes. I think it means that she didn't like the people she saw 'cause she never says that when it's just me and her and Bettie…well, 'cept when I played pirates with her best jewelry.

I don't think she understood very well that pirates need treasure and shiny things to hide. I tried to tell her but she told me in her angry voice that, 'little boys don't steal."

Then she sent me outside. She does that when I've been naughty.

I didn't mind much though 'cause I went down to the beach. That's my most favorite place to play. Sometimes when I get there are little fishies stuck on the sand and I help them get back into the water.

Mum doesn't like fish very much. I showed her one once and her face went all green. I didn't understand that very much.

But today went I got to my beach, the one Mum and I play at, I saw something. And do you know what it was?

I saw a ship.

It was big, with even bigger black sails, which is funny 'cause I've only ever seen white sails on a ship in my picture books. I was gonna run back and tell Mum but I heard something behind me.

When I turned, I saw the most strangest man. He had those black smudges around his eyes, like the bad women Mum doesn't like me to be around, wear. When he moved he jingled like he had a string of bells tied to him. He had big wide eyes that made my tummy go all nasty and I didn't want supper anymore.

"An' you are?" he wrinkled his nose at me. I didn't understand that though. Mum made me take a bath the night before.

I didn't answer at first but I didn't want to be disrespectful so I told him what Mum is always telling me. "I'm not supposed to talk to strangers."

The man grinned all big and wide at me. I didn't understand that either. I hadn't said anything funny. "I'm not 'xactly wot you'd call a stranger to your 'Mum', savvy?"

"What would she call you?"

"An old friend."

"Oh." I paused and bit at my lip. "Then I think I can talk to you."

The man dipped his squashed hat at me and moved past me in his tippy walk.

Since I could talk to him, seeing as he wasn't a stranger anymore, I trotted after him. "Is that your ship?"

The man stopped so fast that I bumped into his back which wasn't very nice of him and I think Mum would have told him to 'pay more attention to where his feet were going'. He spun and put his face real close to mine. "The Pearl isn't just any ole ship. It's freedom, aye?"

"Why does it have black sails? The ship Mum used to own had red sails but she says that everybody else's has white sails."

The man's big black eyes got all squinty. "What's your name, whelp?"

"Willie."

"Is that so…"

"Yes sir, that's what my mother named me." A thought struck me. "Don't you have a name?" Maybe that's why he looked so strange. His mother had never named him.

"'course I have a name. Ever'body has a name."

"Nu-uh."

"Yes-huh."

"Nu-uh."

"Yes-huh."

This had to be the most weirdest grown up person I'd ever talked to. Most grown up people get mad and red-faced when you argue but this person didn't. "Nu-uh. My Mum said that some people can't sign their names so they put an 'x'. I think that means that they have no name."

The man's mouth was open but no sound came out. It snapped shut with a popping sound. "Go home."

"I can't. Mum sent me outside to think about what I did."

He started to walk away and I followed. Mum always makes me stay behind her when we go to market so I don't get lost. Maybe he was doing the same thing.

"Do you know what I did?"

He jumped a little, like I'd scared him, and stopped walking. He turned back around and, with the same tone that all big people use when they don't really want to know, asked, "Wot did you do?"

"I played pirates."

The man snorted.

"Have you played pirates before?"

The man looked like he got ants in his pants for a minute. "Not 'xactly."

He started to walk again and so I followed again. This time he wasn't very scared when I followed.

"Mum says that I should stay away from pirates 'cause most of them do mean things."

He didn't say anything for a little while after that and I thought it was boring just sitting and thinking. Something came to mind that I bet that man couldn't do and so I told him. "I can spell my name. Can you?"

"Oi, whelp, I've gotta get back to me ship."

"Why?"

"I've got lots of things to be doin', None of which involve the likes of you, savvy?"

"What's that mean?"

"Wot?"

"Savii. What's that mean?"

"It's savvy."

"That's what I said." Couldn't this big person hear right?

"Nah, it's pronounced, savvy, savvy?"

"Savii."

The man huffed.

"What it's in that?" I pointed to the tall bottle in his hand. I'd seen them before in Bettie's kitchen but she said that it was 'a sin of the flesh'. I don't know what that means though and Mum made a funny choking sound when I asked her about it.

"This 'ere is what keeps the world from turning sour."

"Like milk?"

"Wot?"

"Milk goes sour. I've had it before." I told him seriously. "I spitted it out and Mum had to clean it all up."

"Well, you soun' like just a bundle of fun."

"Mum says that sometimes."

"Hmm." He started swaggering down the beach and when I followed him he stopped. I was getting tired of him doing that and I was about to tell him that but he spoke before I did.

"Shoo." He made the motion Bettie does when she wants me to leave.

"Why?"

"I'm going that way." He pointed to the ocean where the ship was. "You're going that way." He pointed back to my house.

"But Mum-"

"You tell your Mum that ole Captain Jack says that the whelp says 'ello and sends his love and all that carbuncle."

I didn't know what to say to that so I just watched as he took two steps down the beach. He suddenly turned and looked at me with those wide eyes. I think he wanted to know if I'd follow. But he stopped faster than Mum and my nose hurt from running into his back.

"Hmph." And then he sauntered off.

When Mum called me back into the house I told her what the strange man had said, even the hard 'c' word. Her hand went over her mouth and her eyes looked out at the ocean.

"Are you sure, Willie? He said that?"

I nodded.

"The whelp?"

I nodded again.

Then she smiled real bright and disappeared into her bedroom.

I still don't understand why that made her so happy. But if she's happy then I guess I'm happy too.

**TBC...**


	3. Rumbley Thunder

Well, Genevieve05, here you are! This will be a complete story, featuring all sorts of familiar faces. Apologies for the short length of this chapter. The next will be longer. :)

Just really quick, Willie is supposed to be about five years old here. So, take that into consideration.

Thanks to Arquenniel for her help on this chapter! You rock my socks, madamoiselle!

Thanks also to those who reviewed this last chapter, the-american-hockey-girl, Arquenniel, Genevieve05, and Jennifer Lynn Weston!

**Chapter 3: Rumble-y Thunder**

I don't like thunder very much.

It's very loud and rumble-y. Almost like the sky wants something to eat.

Sometimes I think it wants to eat me. But Mum says that is posterous…or some big word like that. Tonight, though, it sounded really, really hungry. I hid under my bed and closed my eyes real right so it couldn't see me.

It kept being noisy anyway.

There was a big white light that let me see real quick all the toys on my floor. It went away and I heard the noise again. It sounded angry. The house started to make creaky sounds like Bettie was walking very hard to the upstairs part of my house.

I told it to shush and it didn't listen. I hid under my bed but the light and the noise came down there, too.

I started to get scared then.

Mum's room was down the hall. The only problem was that the hall was dark and I think that monsters lived out there. They eat children. I know so. 'Cause I heard that once a little boy my size disappeared and his family never saw-ed him again. That's 'cause the monsters got to him.

I wasn't going to be the next boy to get eaten. So, I had to be a brave boy by myself. And that meant that the thunder needed to go away.

I bit my lip and poked my head out from underneath my bed. I put on my best Sunday smile and used my nice, inside voice. "Could you please be quiet?"

The thunder didn't obey.

Maybe couldn't hear me. I tried louder. "Could you please be quiet?"

The thunder didn't obey again.

It must need a spanking. Mum gives me those when I'm being too loud. But how do you give the sky a spanking?

I tried shouting again. I wasn't feeling polite. "Could you be quiet?"

"Willie?"

That wasn't the thunder. I looked over at the door. "Mum!" I scrambled up and ran as fast as I could to her.

She hugged me real tight and when she spoke her voice was trembled. "It's going to be fine, Willie. It's just a storm. Everything will be just fine." She pulled back and stared at me. Her eyes were all wide, like she was nervous about something. "Willie, I'm going to need you to get in your warm coat and shoes."

"Why?"

"Because, Willie," her eyes went red and watery for a second. "I want us to go an adventure."

I didn't think she was a truthful girl. "Honest?"

She nodded. "Yes, Willie. And when your Father gets home you'll have a grand story to tell him."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

I squinted my eyes. "And the thunder won't come with us?"

"Maybe. We'll have to see, hmm?" she straightened my collar like I'd been outside getting dirty. "Now, get dressed."

**TBC...**


	4. The Adventure Begins

Wow! Thank you so much for all your reviews! PotterMom, Genevieve05, grecianxpiratex07, the-american-hockey-girl, Jennifer Lynn Weston, Cinekimi, you guys made a hard week so much better!

**Chapter 4: The Adventure Begins...**

Getting dressed took a long time 'cause I couldn't find my shoes. Mum said I needed to hurry. But I still couldn't find them. I didn't mind much. They pinched my toes anyways.

Mum finally came in and she found one of my shoes playing hide and go seek in the dirty clothes hamper. She found the other one on top of the wardrobe.

"How on earth do you get your clothes in such places?" she asked me while we got my shoes on my feet. She was moving real quick and before I could answer she was helping me hop down from my bed. She took my hand and we walked fast to her bedroom.

"Wait here."

"Mum?" I called after her. She didn't answer.

When she came back she was holding that funny chest that I seened a few nights ago.

"Mum?" I didn't think this adventure sounded so nice now.

"It's going to be fine." She straightened my coat collar and gave me a smile that didn't really look like a smile. "The storm is a little worse than we expected and Mr. Jensen wants us to spend the night at Fort Andrew. Won't that be exciting? We'll get to cross the channel in boats like you have always wanted to and maybe you can meet a soldier. Doesn't that sound fun?" 

Fort Andrew was big. Big enough that you could see it from market even on nasty weather days. I always wanted to go there but Mum said that it was a very busy place and didn't have visitors very often.

I asked once if we could be an 'xeption. She said no.

But she was going to let me go there tonight. I just wish the thunder and lightning would go back to bed 'cause they are causing distractions.

"We get to ride in boats?" My eyes widened. "Like Papa?"

Mum laughed but it almost sounded like she was crying. "Yes, Willie. Like Papa. Now come on. We've got to hurry."

We went outside and it was raining very hard. The trees' branches were shaking very bad. The thunder and the lightning were having an argument I think 'cause they got louder and louder and louder as we sloshed through the mud.

The rain kept getting in my eyes and the thunder hurt my ears. The wind tried to pull my coat off but I wouldn't let it. Mum was walking fast and I had to almost run to keep up with her.

Suddenly, I wanted to back home. This was too big and loud. "Mum?"

She didn't turn.

"Mum?" I called louder but the thunder wouldn't be quiet.

She still didn't turn.

"Mum!" I tugged on her hand real hard.

She turned this time.

"I don't like this!" I told her. "I want to go home!"

"Willie, we've got to keep going!" Mum sounded like she was desperate and I could barely hear her over the nasty storm.

"But-"

"Be brave like your father." She smiled and this time it was real.

I nodded but I didn't feel very brave.

We started walking again. I fell twice before we got to the docks. But Mum helped me up both times but it still hurted.

There was a bunch of people crowded around the boats. Mum pushed her way to the front and I saw-ed all the boats lined up in the water.

"Laddie! Missus Turner! Over here!"

I knowed who that was. Mr. Jensen had a funny way of speaking 'cause his "r"s were all messed up. Mum said it was 'cause he was from a far away place called Scotland. I don't think Mum heard him calling to us over the rain.

"Laddie!" he called again and Mum heard him that time.

"Mr. Jensen!" Mum and I found him at the very end of the dock and he stood by a boat half filled with people.

"I've saved the two of ya a spot on this 'ere boat! Best be going before the swells get larger!"

"Thank you!" Mum yelled back. She helped me get into the boat and we scooted close together in the very back.

"Willie," Mum shifted the chest to her other hip and leaned in close so that I could hear her. "Whatever happens, don't let go of me."

"Yes, Mum."

"Good." She kissed my forehead.

We waited longer while more people got on. I didn't like it when they stepped in 'cause the whole boat tipped like it wanted to dump me out. And that wasn't a very nice feeling.

I held a real tight to Mum's coat but it was slippery and I couldn't get a good hold. Mum knew, I think, and she put her arm around me.

Finally the boat was filled and we couldn't have any more people get on. A man at the front yelled some words and off we went.

I could see the men who were dipping the big sticks that made the boat move into the water from were we where sitting. They kept looking at the splashy water. I think they thought it was a monster, too.

"Half-way there, Willie." Mum said in my ear.

The men kept moving their big boards until a wave taller than Mum hit the side of the boat. It shook real bad and my grip on Mum slipped a little.

One of the men sitting across from me started to drop his stick. His face went all white and pasty.

But Mum snatched it from him. "Move aside or row properly!" she said in her snappy voice.

While she was talking I saw-ed an even bigger wave coming towards us. "Mum?" I tugged on her sleeve. I really wanted to go home. I didn't like this one bit.

The water hit us and I went flying up. I called for Mum but water filled my mouth and choked me. I reached for Mum's coat and I couldn't find it anymore.

My fingers and toes went real cold and it was hard to kick like Mum had taught me to do. Finally my head came out of the water. "Mum!"

"Willie!" She sounded very far away.

"Mum!" I started to cry. This adventure wasn't what I wanted. I wanted to be warm and safe. I wanted my Mum.

I looked all over and saw her leaning out over the boat. It was a long way away and I couldn't get over to her. Her eyes were wide and two men were keeping her from jumping after me. "Willie!"

"Mum!"

My head went back under and my mouth filled with water. I kicked hard again and when I got to the air I couldn't find Mum. Waves were everywhere and I couldn't see.I called for her. 

Nobody answered.

**TBC...**


	5. The Spider in the Washbasin

Alright everyone, here's the latest!

Thanks so much to Genevieve05, Caomhe of Tyrone, Princess Moanna, Aquatic Calipso, grecianxpiratex07, PotterMom, the-american-hockey-girl, Cinekimi, and Jennifer Lynn Weston for your wonderful reviews!!

**Chapter 5: The Spider in the Washbasin**

Mum told me once that if we were ever separated that I shouldn't ever give up, that I should keep fighting and trying. So, I kept paddling with my arms and kicking with my legs.

My head went under a couple more times and I kept paddling and kicking. The water was a big bully 'cause it kept pushing me around. I felt like the little spider that I once put in Mum's washbasin.

The storm was getting worse-r and worse-r. I heard some voices yelling but none of them were my mum. I still tried to get them to pay attention to me but they were too far away.

The water made my eyes sting and it got harder to see. I was getting so tired. My legs hurted real bad. Then something happened.

A big piece of wood whooshed past me. I reached out for it. But it was too fast. Another piece went past but I was faster than it.

I held it real tight and it pulled me out farther into the water.

A long time passed and I still hadn't found Mum. She must have been real far away 'cause I yelled loud for her to come back.

I was getting sleepy. I didn't want to be. I wanted to find Mum. But my eyes were being bad and kept falling down so I couldn't see.

My head felt heavy so I laid it down on the wood and kept watching the water. It wasn't as angry as before and the rain had stopped. The thunder and lightning must have finished their argument 'cause they were gone too.

I was almost asleep when the water made a funny gurgling sound. Then there was a big splash. Bigger than me. Bigger than Mum. Bigger than my father, probably.

And do you know something?

A ship came out of that splash!

Mum says it's not nice to stare. But I stared at that ship. It was as big as the Black Pearl and was all shiny and clean.

It was a pretty ship. Just like one Mum gave me for my fourth birthday.

I kept watching and a man walked to the front of the ship. He must have been able to hold his breath a long time to stay on a ship that went under the water. Maybe he was like that funny Jack I met. But when I could see his face, he didn't look anything like Jack.

He had dark hair and dark eyes like me. He was very tall and he had a long sword that looked very sharp and poky. But his face looked very concerned, almost like he had a big splinter in his hand.

He looked out over the water. I think he was looking for someone. But I didn't want to be found by a scary man like him so I hid my face behind the wood.

The man yelled something but I couldn't understand what he said. I peeked a quick look at him.

He was leaning on the railing on the edge of the ship. His hands held the wood real tight and his face was all scrunched up. He looked like he wanted to cry.

I didn't understand that.

Someone came up behind him and said something to him. I think he felt better after that 'cause the hurting on his face wasn't as bad.

I pushed myself up farther on the wood so I could see better while the man turned. When I moved he stopped real fast and looked out over the water again.

I was good at hiding and he didn't find me.

He turned and walked so I couldn't see him anymore. The ship's sails blew out like clothes on a laundry line and it went away.

I leaned back against the wood 'cause I was glad to see that scary man leave. I'd heard stories about monsters like Davy Jones who lived on the seas, eating poor people trapped there.

Mum said that he was dead and that he couldn't hurt anyone anymore. She also said that he didn't eat anybody. But she didn't say anything about his ship being dead.

I was safe, though, 'cause the scary man had left. But I was feeling tired and worn-ed out again.

So, I curled up as best I could and closed my eyes real tight. I imagined I was back home in my nice fluffy bed with Mum sleeping in her bedroom down the hall. Maybe if I imagined hard enough this whole adventure would go away.

**TBC...**


	6. Ears and Gibbs

Wow, all of your reviews to this story leave me amazed! Aquatic Calipso, the-american-hockey-girl, Genevieve05, and Jennifer Lynn Weston, thank you so much for taking the time to review! I'm so glad you all like it!! I'll try to make the next chapter a bit longer.

**Chapter 6: Ears and Gibbs**

It was bright when I woke up, so bright that it hurt my eyes. Did Mum forget to draw the curtains?

I scrunched my eyes and that made it so that only a little sunlight could get in. I looked around. But I didn't see my room anywhere.

There was lots and lots and lots of water instead.

I rubbed at my face. Maybe I was just in a nightmare…

I peeked open one eye.

The water was still there.

I leaned over the wood I was sitting on and stared down. My face stared back up at me, 'cept it looked all funny and twisted.

I would have played for a while but I wanted to find my Mum first. Then we could play with the water together.

She'd like that, I think.

And then we could go home. I'd be a good boy if I could just go home. I wouldn't track in mud with my shoes. I wouldn't make faces at Bettie when she wasn't looking. I'd even finish all my vegetables at the dinner table!

But Mum still didn't come for me.

Well, then, I was going to go find her. I'd be like the Blacksmith Pirate going after the Governor's daughter, strong and true.

Putting on my bravest face so that I could keep the monsters away, I put my hands in the water and started to paddle. I did it for a long time, so long that my arms started to feel like the preserves I put on my toast on Sundays.

I rolled onto my back and rested like Mum does sometimes when I've been 'specially naughty. I was getting hungry and that was distracting. After all, Mum said that in order to go on adventures you needed a full stomach. My tummy didn't sound full. It sounded very empty, echo-y in fact.

But I still hadn't found Mum. And she would know what to do and where to find food. I looked around the water for her again. I didn't find her but I did find something else.

It was that funny ship with black sails. Maybe Jack would be on there. He said he 'gotted to get back to his ship'.

So I waited while the ship came closer. It was a big one, bigger than my father for sure. I saw someone at the rail so I yelled to him.

"Mister!"

He didn't answer.

"Hey Mister!"

He turned the other way.

I frowned. Didn't he have ears? That made me think. Maybe he didn't have ears and that was the problem. Maybe he couldn't hear anything at all. "Mister! Do you have ears?"

He saw me then. "Wot?"

"Have you got ears?"

"Oi! You! Useless! Give the whelp a hand!" The man flapped his arms this way and that to somebody I couldn't see.

In two minutes, a rope splashed down into the water. Tied to the end was a bucket. The man told me to sit in it.

I did and then suddenly I was in the air. There was a jerk and I went higher and higher and higher. I came up over the ship's edge and saw that the man was that funny Jack!

"Hey! I know you! You've got ears!"

Jack's eyes got as big as Mum's dinner plates then he closed them tight and muttered, "this is not real. This is jus' a dream."

He opened one eye and after a second became all frustrated like while the man who pulled me up lifted me out of the bucket and put me on the deck.

"No, no, not good. Put it back!" Jack stuffed the bucket back in the man's arms and started to run away.

I went after him. Maybe he liked to play hide-and-seek. "Put what back?"

"Ever'thing!" he threw his hands up.

That didn't make much sense 'cause that bucket wasn't very big and the ship was much bigger. I told him so.

He didn't hear me, I think.

"Gibbs!" he yelled real loud.

"What's a Gibbs?"

He just yelled again. "Gibbs!!"

And then I knew what a Gibbs was. It was huge with bushy hairs all over his face. It clomped up to Jack and stopped a few feet away from me.

I screamed. It was the monster the village boys told me about. It had to be.

"Uh, aye, Cap'n?"

It had a voice, too! I ran fast behind Jack.

"The thing, get it off my ship!" Jack sounded scared, too.

I peeked my eyes through Jack's coat and saw that the monster looked confused.

"The thing…" It shrugged a little and gave Jack a weird expression.

I looked up to see Jack's hand pointing down at me.

"What are you doing?"

His hands dropped. "Nothin'."

"But why were you pointing to me?"

"I wasn't pointin' at anythin'."

I gave him the look Mum gives me. "Are you being an honest mister?"

**TBC...**


	7. Splashy Ships

Wowzers, here we are at chapter 7! That's amazing!

Thanks so much to Jennifer Lynn Weston, grecianxpiratex07, Princesa Moanna, Starling Rising, the-american-hockey-girl, Ariellabellas, LostWitch5, and Genevieve05 for your incredibly encouraging and sweet reviews.

**Chapter 7: Splashy Ships**

They put me in the captain's cabin after that. I was away from the Gibbs though and that is a good thing.

At first, I stood real still like a good boy. Cause when Mum and I go to church or when we go to visit the neighbors Mum always wants me to stand still and be polite. Sometimes I get some cookies with sugar on top with something warm to drink while they talk.

I didn't see any cookies though.

I didn't even see any toys.

I decided that they must have hided them since they were pirates and pirates hide things. The room was as big as the parlor at home and so there were a lot of good hiding places. But I was a good at looking for things.

I opened an old trunk and found some big pieces of paper with some squiggly lines on them. I kept looking and found some ink and a pen like Mum uses.

Then I knew what I could do. I could draw! It wasn't as good as cookies with sugar on top but it was something to do.

Mum didn't let me draw at home 'cause she said I made big messes. But this wasn't home and besides, it was messy already.

There was a table in the center of the room and tall chairs were scooted up next to it. Chairs are for sitting on and so I sat down. I had to get on my knees to see all of my paper.

Careful-like, I set my inkpot and pen down. Next I had to decide what to draw. But that wasn't a problem 'cause I knew 'xactly what to do.

Chewing on my tongue, I dipped the pen in the ink and started to make my masterpiece. It would have been easier if all the funny lines and squiggles were gone but I'd manage.

I was almost done when the door opened. I looked back and saw that Jack had come in. But he didn't have Gibbs with him. And that made me be relieved.

Jack didn't say anything to me. He went over to a cabinet in the corner and mumbled something while he pulled another one of those bottles I'd seen him with on the beach.

"What are you doing?"

He jumped like I'd scared him and held the bottle close. "Wot are you doing?"

"I'm drawing." I perked up. Mum liked to see my drawings! "Would you like to see them, Mister Jack?"

"Don't you 'ave someone else to bother?"

I shook my head.

"Oh." He looked disappointed.

"Mum says I'm a good draw-er."

He made a funny sound that grown people sometimes make. I don't think it's a real word, just something they do so they don't have to say anything.

But he didn't come over to see my drawing. He took a big drink from his bottle instead. And that reminded me.

I was very thirsty.

Mum said that you waited 'till the hosts offered you something to take it. You didn't just take what you wanted. So, I had to do something to get Jack to offer me a drink.

I tried gulping and rubbing at my throat.

"Wot? You swallow a coin?"

"No."

"Then why the…" he rubbed at his own throat.

"It's dry." I waited but he didn't say anything. Maybe he needed some help. Maybe they did things different-like on a ship. "Can I have some?"

He turned away and held the bottle close to himself. "My rum."

I recognized that word. "That's the sour stuff!"

"Wot?"

"You said on the beach! It's the sour stuff in the world!" I said, proud of myself for 'membering. Bettie said sometimes that I had the memory of a mouse. But that's silly.

"Nah, see here, whelp-"

"What's a whelp?"

"A what?"

"A whelp."

"Now you're just being bloody confusing."

"I was just asking a question."

"Me head aches." Jack sat down so hard on a chair that it creaked loud.

I decided to go back to my drawing. People got cranky when their head ached. "Mum takes a nap when her head aches."

That same "hmm" sound.

Crinkling my nose, I began the background to my piece of art. It was harder than I thought it would be and I had to concentrate very much. The ink was very slippery and a couple of times, even though I was being a careful boy, it splattered the page.

I was interrupted by a scuffling sound. Jack stood next to me and he was staring down at my drawing.

"See?" I crowed. "It's a ship that comes out of big splashes!"

"No, no, bad, this is very-" Suddenly, he stopped.

"Does your ship do that, too?" Maybe that was why he was looking so funny at my drawing. If it did he must be very good at holding his breath.

"Where'd you see that?"

I turned back to my drawing. "Last night. There was a funny man on board, too. He yelled something but I didn't understand them."

"An' did he see you?"

"No. I was a good hide-r."

"D'you know whose ship that is?" Jack's dirty finger tapped the paper.

"No." Why did a ship name matter?

"Stay." Jack turned and went back to the cabinet. When he came back he was holding an empty bottle. A minute later and he'd tied a bit of red cloth around the skinny part of the bottle. "Play with that."

"But why can't I draw?"

"See?" He pointed to the funny squiggly lines. "That's England an' that's Portugal. An' you've jus' drawn over Spain…can't say I like them very much, though. Bloody stiff lot. Not a drink within ten miles. Now the French, they-"

"Cap'n?"

The Gibbs was back.

"Cap'n, we've seem to have caught a bit of a problem."

"Give it back. I've got this." Jack waved a hand towards me.

"Uh, Cap'n,"

Jack made a pouty face, like I do sometimes when Mum makes me clean up all my toys before supper. She doesn't like that face very much 'cause it always gets me in trouble. But Jack didn't get in any trouble.

He must have been afraid of that Gibbs though, 'cause he went out on deck. He forgotted to close the door and so I sneaked real quiet after him. Maybe I could find something to play with out there.

**TBC...**


	8. Billgebigle rats

**A/N:** First off, I have to apologize for the length. I got a vomiting illness and that impeded writing of any kind. So, it's touch shorter than usual. Next week I'll be on vacation with my family so I'll probably be unable to update. I'm terribly sorry to do that to you all! But I'll be back in two weeks with a killer chapter, okay?

Thanks to Jennifer Lynn Weston, LostWitch5, Up-in-the-clouds, Starling Rising, grecianxpiratex07, and Genevieve05 for your stupendous reviews!

**Chapter 8: Bill-ge...Bigle Rats**

Jack had long legs but he walked all crooked and dizzy-like. I wonder if his Mum had spun him around in circles too many times when he was a little boy and that was why he couldn't walk normal.

I know he didn't walk like Mum or Bettie or even my Father probably 'cause I followed him and walked 'xactly like he did. I even put my arms out and spun my fingers in little circles.

"Wot is that?"

I turned real fast to see a skinny man staring at me. The funny thing was though, he didn't have two eyes. He only had one and the other was covered with a strange black piece of cloth. He must have been the one that talked.

"That…" Jack swung a hand in my direction, "is the newest bilge rat to join me crew."

"I'm not a bill-gey…bigle…I'm not a rat!" I put my hands on my hips and gave him my nasty glare.

"Did I say rat? 'meant rodent."

"Cap'n, I thought we wasn't taking any poppets on the ship no more." The skinny man asked. I think he was a little bit scared.

"Are you the captain, Mister Ragetti? Is this your ship? Hmm?"

"No, Cap'n. I jus' thought with-"

"Stop thinkin'. It's bloody irritating." Jack looked like he would walk away but then he stopped. "Where's the other one of you?"

"Pintel?"

"Tha's the one!"

"Up top, Cap'n, in the aft rigging."

"Ah, thought I'd finally rid meself of him." Jack started walking again but I didn't follow him this time. I wanted to talk to the skinny man.

"Who are you?"

"Ragetti."

"I'm William Turner III." I told him, pointing at myself. "Mum calls me Willie though."

Ragetti gave me that same funny face that Jack made after hearing my name.

"You can call me Willie, too, if you like."

He still didn't say anything.

I huffed but Mum and Bettie would want me to be polite. I tried another question. "Are you a pirate?"

"Suppose so."

I got excited at that. "Mum says that I should stay away from pirates but I think my Father was a pirate. Did you ever meet my Father?"

He just stared at me.

"Why do you only have one eye?" These people weren't very soicable or some long word like that. 'Cause I had to keep asking questions and I didn't get any answers for them. And that was very tedious. At least, that's what Bettie says when she's talking to me 'bout being a good boy.

But Mr. Ragetti never did answer. That Gibbs was back. He yelled something awful loud, at least it was loud to me, and Ragetti ran off.

I ran off, too.

Someday I'd be a big, brave boy but I just wanted the Gibbs to go away for now. So, I runned behind a tall barrel and stayed there.

I peeked over the rim and saw him walking over to talk with Jack. Maybe it was safe to back to the cabin where there was all the sour stuff that Jack drank. I could at least draw there. I turned to leave and I heard a squeaky sounding voice talk to me.

"Oi! You! Get out of dere!"

I looked at the person and do you know what?

He was as tall as me!

**TBC...**


	9. Speaking Birds!

Thanks so much to everybody who reviewed last chapter! Up-in-the-clouds, grecianxpiratex07, Jennifer Lynn Weston, Starling Rising, AKA Parfait, and Genevieve05, you guys are simply amazing! You've all been so patient!

Well, I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint anyone. Life has been insane lately so I didn't get as much time or creative juices as I would have liked to write this one. I also thought that more would happen in it but it just didn't work out. Anyway, I hope every gets a laugh or at least a smile out of it.

**Chapter 9: Speaking Birds!**

I liked that Marty person.

My neck hurted from looking up at all those big people. But Marty was just my size. I tolded him that we could be friends. He didn't say 'no' so that must mean 'yes'.

He went all over that ship. I followed him real good, even when he walked fast. I don't know what he was doing 'xactly but he was a busy bee. He kept looking over his shoulder at me, I think to make sure that I didn't get left behind.

I tolded him about my house and all my toys. I tolded him about Bettie and her kitchen full of things to eat. I tolded him about my Father and my Mum.

He never did answer me but I think he was thinking real hard. Mum does that sometimes. 'Specially when she's writing in the book for my Father to read when he gets back from the place that he is at.

I once drawed in that book. Mum let me do a picture of her and me at our beach. Sometimes she'll let me write to my Father in that book, too. I couldn't quite read Mum's writing yet 'cause her letter's have swirl-y lines around them. I asked her once if my Father could read them if they had those loopy things on them. She said 'yes'. Then do you know what she did?

She showed me a letter that my Father wrote to her before they got marriage-d. And my Father wrote with those loopy lines too! He didn't use as many and his paper didn't smell like roses like Mum's did but I still couldn't read it. His letters were sort of squished, too. Mum's are pretty-like and even. Someday, she said that she'd teach me to make the loops too.

I had just finished telling Marty about all that when I saw Jack again. "Hey, Mister Jack!" I ran up and tugged on his coat. "Can you make loops on your letters?"

"Course I can."

"Show me?"

Jack's hair on his face twitched, like somebody who was being naughty had attached an invisible string to it. "'m…too busy right now…Cotton! Where is that mangy geezer?"

"Mum says it's not nice to call people names."

"Listen 'ere, whelp, I don't see your Mum nowhere. 'sides, this is my ship. I can say whatever I bloody well please. See? Ninnyhammer! Rum saturated, vertically challenged, recalcitrant imbecile! 'cause I'm Captain Jack Sparrow and Captain Jack Sparrow is the most feared pirate in the whole Spanish Main…no, the whole world!"

"Why?"

"Why? Wot do you mean why? I'm a pirate. Hasn't your Mum told you 'bout pirates?"

"Yes. She's says that they are n'uneducated bunch of lazy sots." She used a couple more big words that I couldn't pronounce but I don't think that Jack would mind if I didn't tell him those. He was already staring at me with his wide eyes. Maybe he was confused like me. I didn't know what all those fancy words meant either. "I think that means they're bad."

"Is that what you think?"

"Uhuh, and Mum had her unhappy face on." I looked up at that Mr. Jack. "Did you ever see my Mum's unhappy face?"

"Far too many times." Jack's forehead pinched and he walked away.

This time, I went with him 'cause I couldn't find my friend Marty anymore. Jack went up to an old man with a pretty bird on his shoulder. "I've heard of those before!" I pointed to the bird. "Mum told me 'bout them!"

"What doesn't your Mum tell you?"

"She hasn't ever told me why I can't have a brother or sister. She only says that she has to talk to Father first. I don't know why."

Jack grinned, showing all his glittery gold teeth.

"Why are your teeth all shiny like that?" I cocked my head to the side and watched as the sun sparkled off his teeth.

"'m Captain Jack Sparrow." But his voice didn't sound very excited and it was all mumble-y. "D'you ever stop askin' ques'ions?"

"Do you?"

Jack wrinkled his nose and shoved that old man away from the wheel, flapping a hand at him. "Go roast your bird or somethin'."

Then I heard the squeakiest voice ever, probably. What was most amazing was that the bird on that old man's shoulder was the one that spoke!

"Shiver me timbers!"

"That bird is a speaking bird! Mr. Jack!" I tugged on his coat. "Mr. Jack! You've got a speaking bird!"

Jack leaned down and with two fingers pulled my hand from his coat. "The thing is not having a parrot, it's getting the bloody thing to stow it."

"I'd like having a parrot, I think."

"I's yours."

"Really?" I got excited. I had my very own speaking bird! That was better than any present anybody had ever gived to me!

"Mr. Cotton! Give the whelp some rations." Jack's eyes squinted as he looked out over the ocean where the sun was setting. "'e's makin' me head ache."

"Wind in the sails!" The parrot squawked. "Wind in the sails!"

The old man took me by the shoulder and led me back to the captain's cabin. I tried to touch the pretty parrot but it screeched whenever I got close.

"Why doesn't it like me?" I asked Mr. Cotton.

Mr. Cotton didn't answer. That stupid parrot did. "Shiver me timbers. Shiver me timbers."

"Why does he say everything in twice?"

Mr. Cotton didn't look like I'd said anything at all.

"Why don't you answer me?" I huffed.

He only opened the door to the cabin and sat me down at a table. But when I tried to get his attention he smiled nice at me. I figured he couldn't be too bad then. Even if his bird was a meanie-pants.

Mr. Cotton gave me a mug of water and a hard biscuit for supper before he went back outside. I tried to eat them but it hurt my teeth to bite very hard. That must be why some of Jack's teeth were all metal.

I decided to tell Bettie that she cooked good when I got home. Her biscuits were soft and fluffy. They smelled good, too. They were the bestest with honey spread over the top.

After I tried to eat, I felt tired. I didn't want to be. I wanted to go play on the pirate ship again. But my eyes were all droopy. There was a cot in the corner and so I plopped down on that.

I waited for someone to come tuck me in cause that's what Mum always did after supper. Sometimes she'd tell me stories or play pirates with me for a little while. Then, after I'd said my prayers, she always pulled the covers up to my chin even if it was very hot outside, kissed my forehead, turned down the lights, and said 'goodnight'.

But nobody came.

**TBC...**

There should be about four more chapters or so...I hope you all can stick with me!


	10. Monsters and Storytime

Many thanks to Jennifer Lynn Weston, Starling Rising, and the-american-hockey-girl for your sweet reviews! I really appreciate them!

A/N: I apologize for the length of the chapter. I'll try to get the next one longer.

**Chapter 10: Monsters and Storytime**

Jack's cabin was scary in the dark.

The sun was all hidded 'cause it was time for bed. But I couldn't sleep. There were scary shaped things all over and Mum hadn't checked under the bed for monsters yet.

Mum…I scooted up on the bed, wrapped my arms around my knees, and started to cry. I wanted this 'dventure to be over. I wanted my nice, fluffy bed. I wanted Bettie. I wanted Mum.

I hugged myself real tight and tried to 'magine Mum telling me a bedtime story. She was a good story teller, the best probably. She'd hold me so I was leaning back close enough to hear her heartbeat.

Then she'd start to talk. Her voice was even-like and went up and down in all the right parts. She always talked about my father. She told me all about how brave he was and how he loved us both very much.

I asked her if he'd seen me before since I'd never seen him before. She always looked sad at that and told me that it was time to sleep.

But I wouldn't mind if she said that now. 'cause at least she'd be here.

The door clicked open and I hid my face under the covers. I knew monsters would come to eat me, I just knew it. That's 'cause Mum and Bettie weren't here to keep them away.

I peeked up over the blanket and watched as the tall monster walked around the room. It was grumbling and muttering to itself.

It shoved at some things on the table, tinkering with different things. It must have been looking for something.

I got my fists ready. If that monster was going to come in here and eat me then I was at least going to be brave like my father.

There was a scratching sound and a little sparkle of light came from the monster's hands. I had to act then. I couldn't wait any longer. I had to use the 'lement of surprise, or something like that.

I jumped up from the bed and suddenly the monster was gone.

Instead, Jack was standing there with a lumpy candle in his hands.

"Mr. Jack! You scared it away1" I ran up and hugged his legs. Maybe he could keep the monsters under my bed away! "You scared the bad monsters away! It was gonna eat me!"

Jack looked down at me and frowned. I don't think he heard what I said. "Wot's this?" He pointed to my wet cheeks.

"I miss Mum." I said, feeling my throat go tight. "I tried to be brave, Mr. Jack, but I want my Mum back."

Jack was very quiet for a long time. "You miss your Mum, aye?"

I nodded.

"An'…what does she do when you can't…sleep?"

I sniffled. "She tells me about my father. Can you tell me about my father?"

"The whelp?" Jack's lips turned up a little. "I've a few stories…"

"Why do you call him that?"

"Who?"

"My father. Why do you call him the whelp?"

"D'you ever stop asking questions?"

I shook my head.

Jack ran his fingers over his head. "An' I thought your father was bad." He walked to another chest and pulled out a rum bottle.

I followed. "My father was bad? Mum said he was strong and brave."

"Your Mum married the whelp 'course she thinks he's strong and brave." He uncorked the bottle and drank a whole lot of it. Then, he wiped his mouth with his hand and sat down.

I waited for him to start talking. But he didn't. And I thought of something. Mum always took me in her lap when she told stories. Maybe that's what I needed to do with Jack. Maybe he was just waiting for me to sit down before he began.

So, I lifted myself up and settled down right in the middle of his lap. He was all rigid like. I don't think he had much practice holding people 'cause you're supposed to hold them nicely.

He must have been thinking like me 'cause he relaxed, but only after I patted his hand politely. He would start talking now, wouldn't he?

I waited as long as I could but Jack just drank from his bottle. "Mr. Jack, that stuff smells funny."

"You smell funny." Jack said back and took another drink.

I huffed. "Are you going to tell me about anything?"

"Wot?"

"A bedtime story. I can't sleep without one. Mum or sometimes Bettie tells me one."

"An' what do they tell you about?"

I gave him my best patient face. Hadn't he been listening? "My father."

"Ah…wouldn't you rather hear about ole Captain Jack Sparrow?"

"No."

He looked a little disappointed. "Oh…well, d'you ever hear of the time he was almost eaten by cannibals?"

"No." I settled back. Maybe Jack was a good story teller, too!

"Y'see, your father 'nd I were out near Pelegosto…" Jack's story was an 'xciting one but my father didn't do a lot in it. I didn't understand that…

**TBC...**


	11. New Friends

Well, here we are at chapter 11! I had no idea that this story would work itself out to be so long! And we've got about two-three chapters left. Enjoy everyone!

Many thanks to Jennifer Lynn Weston, Up-in-the-clouds, LostWitch5, grecianxpiratex07, Starling Rising, Caomhe of Tyrone, and Telcontar Rulz for your awesome review! I really love to read your responses to this story! They've all been so sweet!

And grecianxpiratex07, this chapter is especially for you! (the next even more so!) I hope it lives up to your expectations!

**Chapter 11: New Friends**

After that, the pirate ship wasn't so scary. My friend Marty was always busy but that was fine because I just followed Jack or Mr. Cotton around.

Mr. Cotton's parrot was still being a meanie pants and once when it made me cry Jack gave me his compass to play with. I liked that. Maybe it wasn't so bad to have a meanie around after all. Mum just gave me hugs 'n stuff. Those were good, too. Long as she didn't do it in front of the other village boys. But she had never gived me a compass.

After a while, I got tired of watching the little tiny red pointy thing go all spin-y. I tried going in circles to see if that would make it more inter'sting.

My tummy didn't like that very much.

I tried pushing it around like the toy carriages Mum has for me. It didn't push very good.

I shaked it to see if it made noise. It didn't.

Mum made noises if you tickled her tummy just right. Sometimes I'd sneak up real quiet behind her and get her. She was a good listener though and so it didn't happen very much.

I wondered if Jack was tickley like she was…I was going to find out when I saw something more inter'sting.

Marty was on deck again!

I ran down fast to catch up to him. He was pulling on all these ropes that went up to the big white cloths. Jack said those made the ship go but I didn't believe him. Didn't he know that the water was pushing us?

But those big white things had to be good for something. I think they're just for fancy-ness. Like Mum's pretty jewelry. She doesn't wear it very often though. She says that she wants to wait for Father to come home first.

Maybe that's why they were doing things to the white cloths. They were taking them down until somebody special could come.

Did ships have fathers? I decided to ask Mum when I saw her again.

First, I'd help my new friend. I tried to pull on the rope with him. He pulled away. I think he was trying too hard. Mum doesn't think you can do that. But when she makes me do my letters I think you can.

Since Marty wouldn't pull the rope with him I walked over to another rope and pulled on that. But nothing happened. I pushed up my sleeves like the big men in the village do. That seemed to help them do strong things.

I don't think it worked good for me.

I tried my hardest, until my forehead was all hot, to pull that stupid rope. It didn't move. I kicked it.

Mum wouldn't have liked that but she didn't pull as hard as I did. I think under the circ'stan'es that it was justifying. I heard Bettie say that once when she got mad at Mrs. Hewitt. That was somethin'! Mrs. Hewitt said something about my Mum being a "red lady". Bettie didn't like that very much. She got all red in the face and stamped her feet. She waved her spoon, too.

I didn't understand that. What was so bad about being called red? I understanded Bettie being angry though.

I wanted hit that rope!

So, I did. Only the rope grabbed me. My ankle, anyway.

I flied up with it. Before Mum could have said pickled eggs I was looking down at the deck I was supposed to be standing on.

I saw Marty going fast around below me and I tried yelling to him. He didn't hear me, I think, 'cause he didn't even look up.

He wasn't being a very nice friend. I crossed my arms and gave him my scary look. He still didn't turn. My head was feeling all funny from being 'side down, like Bettie had filled my head with her fluffy biscuits. That didn't feel very comfortable, I decided. I liked them much better in my tummy.

I couldn't reach anything to get back down. I tried. It was all too far away. I didn't want to cry but I was getting tired of this. Maybe Marty was playing a hide-and-seek game. If he was I didn't like it very much.

I told him so.

But do you know?

Somebody heard me. It wasn't Marty though. It was somebody different. It was that scary Monster called Gibbs.

He ran quick to where the rope had grabbed me. He did something and then I was flying down. I closed my eyes real tight. Mum was going to have to give me lots of kisses when I hitted that deck.

I hitted something soft instead. There was a big 'oof!' and then I wasn't moving no more. And that was a relief.

I opened one eye and saw a hand bigger than both my feet holding me. I turned and saw the bushy face of the Gibbs. I started to yell but that monster didn't look so scary anymore. He kind of looked like Bettie when I dropped a pan on her foot.

That got me to think. I looked at him hard. "Are you a monster? I heared of monsters on the ocean."

He blinked. "What on God's green earth…"

His voice sounded sort of squeaky. But I didn't mind. "What does that mean? 'Cause there is ocean, too."

I sighed when he didn't answer. I don't think these people had been around my Mum very much or she'd be very dis'ppointed in them. "So you're not a monster?"

He shook his head.

"Then I can be your friend!" I told him, smiling big. "Would you like to be my friend, Gibbs? We can shake on it like the men in the taverns do!" I put my hand in his face.

He took it and gave it a little shake. "Agreed, Master Turner."

"Good. 'Cause my friend Marty isn't a good friend. I think he needs a talk with Mum." I whispered secret-like. Friends have secrets. And Gibbs was my new bestest friend.

"Gibbs!"

That was Jack's voice. I looked all over for him but I couldn't find him anywhere. I hopped off Gibbs and ran around the round pole in the center of the ship. I saw Mr. Jack standing in front of his cabin. He had a funny, pinchy look on his face.

Gibbs came up behind me and talked quiet with Jack for a while. I tried to sneak up on them once but Jack saw me. He 'shooed' me back to the middle of the ship.

I got 'mpatient waiting for my new friend to finish talking and started to look around. And I saw something that was probably the most important thing all day!

It was that scary man's ship!

**TBC...**


	12. The Scary Man

Thanks so much to AKA Parfait, Genevieve05, LostWitch5, Starling Rising, grecianxpiratex07, ScarletRosePetal, Telcontar Rulz, Jennifer Lynn Weston, Up-in-the-clouds, and Magical Faerie for your totally awesome reviews!

**Chapter 12: The Scary Man**

I was a brave boy but I didn't want to see that scary man. He made my tummy feel all squishy. I didn't like that feeling very much so when I saw that splashy ship I runned fast to Jack's cabin. They wouldn't find me in there.

There was a cabinet just my size on the floor. I climbed inside it and closed my eyes tight. I even put my hands over my face. He couldn't find me now!

But do you know? That scary man was a good finder.

I opened my eyes, peeking out from my fingers. Mr. Jack and the scary man were standing in the center of the room. Jack had his bottle of stuff again and he was drinking it fast.

"Jack, you know why I'm here." The scary man said something first.

"'course I do. 'm Cap'n Jack Sparrow."

He sighed and suddenly he didn't look so scary anymore…he looked like Mum when she was thinking about my Father. "Jack, I can't find her. I came to you…for help. I can't do this alone."

"You're a bloody whelp. Not surprising."

"Jack…" The scary man pointed down at the big papers with squiggly lines on them. "The hurricane struck there…and there. I've found survivors as far as here. Unless she's on shore…I don't know where to look."

I leaned forward, trying to see where he was pointing his fingers on that paper. Did he draw on papers like that too?

"Ah, look here, whelp, I'm not going on some retrieving the damsel-in-distress mess. I've got me own troubles."

"Jack, I wouldn't ask you if I could do it myself." There was a pause. "You know as well as I about the curse. I've already stretched it to search for her. I can't risk much more. I need your help."

"Here's the thing-"

Then the cabinet door did something that wasn't very nice. It stopped being closed. I fell forward and before I could even get standing up Jack and the strange man were helping me.

"An' tha's what I jus' about to tell you 'bout."

But the strange man didn't seem interested in what Jack had to say. He was looking hard at me. I knowed that Mum didn't like me to listen to her talking to other big people. Maybe that's why he was staring at me.

"I saw you! Three nights ago! You were in the wreckage!" The man knelt down in front of me. "Are you alright?"

I nodded.

"'e's a Turner, whelp. I wouldn't worry."

The man's head snapped up and his eyes went all narrow. "What did you say?"

Jack had a strange smile on his face, the kind of smile adults have when they know something you don't. "'e even annoys me like you do."

"You mean…" his eyes met mine.

He smelled like sea spray and sweat. "Elizabeth…she…and I…you…" he stuttered. Something changed in his eyes and he spoke again.

"You're my son." He whispered, almost like he didn't believe himself. "You're my son."

I wanted to hide behind Jack but something about this person made me stay. "B-but Mum said that I wouldn't meet my father 'till I'm almost ten."

I don't think that man knew what I said 'cause he kept looking at me like I hadn't said anything at all.

"You have her nose and her hair. You even have freckles like her."

"Mum says my eyes are like my daddy's."

He seemed not to know what to do about that. "I suppose."

"What's your name?" I asked.

I think he thought that was funny. I don't know why. But he did answer. "Will Turner."

"That's my name." I frowned.

"Yes. I married your Mum, Elizabeth Swann."

I didn't believe him all the way. "Are you really my father?"

"Yes."

"Are you a pirate?"

He hesitated before answering. "Would you like me to be?"

I couldn't decide. Pirates were too confusing. "Why haven't you come to see me before?"

That same painful look covered his face. "I've wanted to. Believe me. But I cannot. I have a duty that I cannot ignore."

I didn't know what to say. Did that mean that he couldn't come home? Ever?

"Is…" he cleared his throat, "is your Mum well?"

"Yes."

"Is she…happy?"

"Well, she cried a few nights ago over this hard chest but I told her a story and that made her feel much better." I told him, proud of how I made Mum happy.

His face went white. "Sh-she did?"

"Uhuh." I looked up at him, squinting my eyes like Mum does sometimes. "Can you tell me a story?"

**TBC...**


	13. My Father

This chapter will be interesting. Amid tornados and the arrival of a new niece, I've pieced together this bit. So, enjoy the craziness!

You guys are all so amazing! I have nothing but gratitude for your overwhelming response to this story! I had no idea that it would be so well recieved. Thank you, thank you to my awesome reviewers! PirateAngel1286, Caomhe of Tyrone, ScarletRosePetal, yurface9311, grecianxpiratex07, Telcontar Rulz, Magical Faerie, Jennifer Lynn Weston, Starling Rising, LostWitch5, willabeth0906, I really appreciate your comments!

**Chapter 13: My Father**

I always wondered what it was like to have your Father home every single day. I saw the other boys in their village with their fathers. Their fathers could do big, strong things. I wondered if my Father could do those things.

He looked big and tall, bigger than the other fathers, probably. I think he could do those things good. I decided to ask him.

"Can you build things?"

He blinked. "Like what?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Things. Mr. Allen can build chairs and tables. Can you build chairs and tables?"

"I suppose. I," he stopped talking, "I was a blacksmith in Port Royal."

"What's that?"

"A blacksmith shapes metal into useful things."

"Oh," I thought for a minute. "Then you must be very strong."

"Wha…" he didn't finish the word and a funny look came over his face. He laughed a little then. "No, it is heated first. That makes it easier to manipulate."

Sometimes I wish grownd-ups would stop using such long words. They were confusing. It was like the word 'whelp'. I didn't get that word very much. Maybe my father knew what it meaned. "What does 'whelp' mean?"

"Well, it's-" he stopped again. "You will have to direct that question to Jack."

I wrinkled my nose. What did that mean? How did you dirret something?

My Father must have knowed that I was confused. I didn't know how but I think mums and fathers have a special something that tolded them those things. "Jack's the only one who knows what 'whelp' means."

That made me grumpy. "But I asked him already. He didn't tell me what it means. He just said his head hurted."

But my Father wasn't listening anymore. His eyes were closed so tight that there were wrinkles. He had one hand over his chest like it hurted real bad.

That had me worried. "Are you hurted?"

"I'm fine." His eyes opened and he smiled at me. It wasn't like Mum's smiles though. It looked strange, like he didn't really mean to smile.

"Mum lies down when she's hurted." I pushed at his shoulder. He was sitting on the bed already. Then he'd feel better and we could play on deck. I could even show him my friends and maybe he'd get that parrot to let me pet it.

"Willie…" My father's voice sounded sad.

I looked up at him. Didn't he want to feel better? Mum always did.

"Willie, I-I have to go."

"Go where? Can I come?"

He smiled that same funny smile again. "Not this time."

"But…don't you want to see Mum?"

His eyes closed real tight, so tight that there were wrinkles. "You will have to see her for me."

"Oh,"

"Keep her safe for me, will you?"

I nodded. "I'll keep all the bad monsters away."

"Good." He patted my head and stood. He walked out of the cabin so I ran after him. I didn't want him to go. Not yet!

"But I don't want you to leave!" I grabbed his jacket and tugged hard on it.

He knelt down in front of me. "Willie, you have to stay with your Mum."

"I can't find her! There was a scary storm and I losted her!" My throat started to hurt real bad and my eyes burned. I didn't want to but I started to sniffle, too. "I don't want to be alone!"

"You have Jack. He'll find your Mum." My father's eyes went all shiny.

"But why can't you stay now?"

"Willie, I can't. There is something special that I have to do. I can't come back until that is done."

"Why not?"

He didn't talk for a while. "When I was a blacksmith, if I left a sword before it was finished it would be ruined. The metal wouldn't lie properly and I'd have to do it all over again. The same is true for what I do now. If I leave early..."

"Will you come back?"

"With all the strength I have within me."

And that I believed.

He started to stand and I didn't want him to go quite yet. So, I put my arms around his neck tight and put my face against his shoulder. He was stiff like Jack at first but slowly, he hugged me back.

I let go when my throat wasn't hurting so bad. My father's face was very sad, like Mum's when I told her the story.

"Tell your Mum...tell her that I love her?"

I nodded.

"Be a good boy for your Mum. I'll be back in four years, I promise."

I watched him walk over to Jack. Jack looked sad too. I never seened him look so sad. His shoulders were hunched and he said in a quiet voice, "She loves you, whelp, an' she wouldn't have married you if she didn't."

"I didn't mean for it this to happen. If I knew..."

"If we knew, things would have been different. But's tha's life. Not knowing wot's next and learning to deal with the hand you get dealt."

My father held out his hand to Jack. "Thank you, Jack, for everything."

And then, do you know? My father turned to me. He smiled. And this time, he looked happy. Really happy.

I blinked and he was gone.

**TBC...**

Well, folks, one chapter to go!


	14. Back Home Again

A massive thank you to everybody who has stuck with me throughout this story! I cannot tell you how much it means to me!

Many, many thanks to hurricane1714, LostWitch5, Caomhe of Tyrone, Scarlet Rose Petal, Bookish0278, grecianxpiratex07, yurface9311, willabeth0906, Telcontar Rulz, Genevieve05, and Magical Faerie for your totally awesome reviews!

As of yet, there are no plans for a sequel. I've got several stories that I'm enormously excited about writing so those will take precedence over anything else right now. But if I ever get an idea for a sequel, it will likely show up on this site. ;) Thanks again, everyone!

**Chapter 14: Back Home Again**

Mum said that goodbyes don't always mean forever and that you have to say goodbye before you can say hello again. I think that means that I get to say hello to my father again someday.

And that is a good thing 'cause I've got lots and lots of questions for him. Do you know? I forgotted to ask him if he could play toys with me. Mum does sometimes.

My father left yesterday. I asked Jack where he was going and he only said that it was to a very far away place. I wondered if that was what all big people tell little people when they don't want to answer. Mum must be the only 'xception 'cause she knowed everything.

I tried to tell Jack what I thought but he was talking to Gibbs for a long time, an hour probably and Mum doesn't like me to in'rupt. He didn't look happy and he kept pointing at the big white cloths.

I runned after Marty to ask him what they were doing. But do you know something? He can run real fast. I thought I'd talk to Cotton next but when I got close that meanie parrot squawked real loud.

I didn't like that noise so I left. Mum needed to give him one of her talks. It was being a naughty boy. Didn't it know it was supposed to be nice?

I didn't know where I was supposed to go now. Jack was in a pouty mood and he was going to his cabin. That meant I couldn't go there. Bettie didn't let me go in her kitchen when she was in a pouty mood. I think it's the same with Jack.

That meant that I had to stay out on deck. I sighed. There wasn't anything to do out here. I sitted down hard and gave that meanie parrot a Mum look. Nobody here would play with me.

I waited there a long time. Jack still didn't come out of his cabin and so I still couldn't go in. I started to get sleepy so I lay out on the deck. The sky was the color of Mum's blue Sunday dress. And then I thought of something I could do.

Every Sunday afternoon Mum and I walk out to our beach and we lie on our backs and found shapes in the clouds. Mum was very good at it. She found a whole ship once.

I decided I was going to beat her today. I was going to find the bestest thing ever. I didn't know what yet but that was 'cause I haven't found it.

So, I stared and stared and stared at those fluffy clouds. And do you know? I found something.

It was a bird, a big one with its wings all out. I got up quick to go tell Gibbs. He'd like to see that. I knew he would. He was standing by the spinny thing that Jack was always at. "Gibbs! Look what I found!"

Somebody was yelling something at the same time but I didn't care very much. I wanted Gibbs to see my bird. I pointed up to show him where it was but he was looking a different direction.

"No, it's not over there. It's up." I tugged on his sleeve. That black line was boring. My bird was much more inter'sting.

"Lad, see that?" Gibbs pointed to the black line.

I nodded, feeling pouty. Who wanted to see some stupid line?

"That's where you live."

"Says who?" I asked.

Gibbs looked confused. I don't think anybody ever asked him that before. With mums you had to be careful about that sort of thing. "Well, uh-"

"Says I, me, 'n meself."

I turned around.

Jack was out of his cabin. "Tha's where your Mum is, savvy?"

"Mum's there!" I liked the sound of that. "Can we go there?"

"I think that could be 'rranged. Oi!" Jack waved a hand at Ragetti and Pintel. "You two! Get the dingy! Young Turner and I are going ashore."

In just a little bit we were all ready to get in the boat. I was very excited to see Mum again. I had lots and lots to tell her about. Jack helped me get over the side 'cause it was very tall.

He got in after me and then Gibbs told somebody to lower us. I'm not sure what that means but the boat started going down to touch the water. There was a big bump when we touched it. Jack didn't look surprised though.

He picked up two of the big sticks and began to dip them in the water. "Where's Mum? 'cause I can't see her anywhere."

"She's there." Jack's voice sounded funny. I think those sticks were heavy. "Owes me a bloody lot of rum…"

I waited and waited. I counted as far as I could with my numbers and slowly that black line turned into what's called the bay in town.

"Mr. Jack! It's my home!"

He nodded.

"Where do you think Mum is?" I kept asking questions all the way until the little boat bumped the sand on my favorite beach. Jack didn't answer any of them. I don't know why.

"Come on, Mr. Jack! I'll show you my house!" I grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the boat. I showed him how to get all the way up to my house. I even showed him my shell collection. Mum didn't want me to keep it in the house so I kept it safe in the front yard behind the flower bed. It was a secret place and Mum didn't even know where it was.

Then I took him up to the door and opened it. "Mum?" I wondered if she was playing hide and seek.

And then I heard her voice, "not in there. It's…" She stepped into the hallway and her eyes went wide when she saw me.

"Willie?"

"Hullo Mum."

Mum ran faster than I ever saw. She lifted me and hugged me tight. "Willie…" her voice sounded funny.

"Mum." She smelled good. Mum always smelled good.

"Willie, I was so worried! You were gone for three days! I thought something happened!" She spoke all in a hurry. "Thank the Lord you're unharmed!"

"I went on a ship with Mr. Jack!" I told her proudly.

"What?" She behind me and saw Jack standing in the doorway.

"Jack Sparrow! You?" Mum didn't sound happy. "You've had him all this time! And you didn't bring him back? I was sick with worry!"

"Well, see, i's like this..."

"I don't want to hear it!" Mum's face suddenly went happy again. "You kept him safe. Thank you." She held out her hand.

Jack made a face but he shook it.

"How did you find him?"

"He's a Turner. They have an unnatural ability to stay alive." He and Mum smiled.

"Mum! Guess what I saw?"

"What did you see?"

"I saw a splashy ship! And do you know? My father is on that ship!"

"Wha…" Mum's face looked surprised. She glanced at Jack.

He nodded. "The whelp sends his love."

"But…how?"

"I like him, Mum. You picked a good Father for me."

Mum's hand covered her mouth and her eyes went all red and shiny.

"Mum?" I had another question.

"Yes, Willie?"

"Do ships have fathers?"

**Finis**

Another massive thank you to everyone!


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